Péron and Lesueur, 1810
Marginal lappets 32-48 (sometimes secondarily more in some specimens); rhopalia 8; tentacles per octant 3-9; stomach pouches 16; in marginal zone, typically having the 8 rhopalar stomach pouches much narrower than the 8 inter-rhopalar pouches. Notes on coloration and pattern are taken from a variety of literature sources, and may describe the range of the species rather than that of any one population. Some, perhaps all, species commonly reach sexual maturity before all the tentacles have developed, confusing identification based solely on tentacle number and distribution. In addition, it seems that all species may have no exumbrella color pattern, or may be variously colored with a range of density, so color can be misleading in identification.
Several authors have described Chrysaora spp. from west Africa, including Chrysaora fulgida Reynaud, 1830 and Chrysaora africana Vanhöffen, 1902, but for a variety of reasons we are as yet unable to relate them to the taxa described here. Chrysaora blossevillei Lesson, 1832, based on Brazilian material, is also problematic. It is also important to note that there seem to be no valid records of Chrysaora hysoscella and Chrysaora quinquecirrha from South America south of the equator. Chrysaora quinquecirrha records from west Africa await validation.
Chrysaora hysoscella
Chrysaora lactea
Chrysaora plocamia
Chrysaora quinquecirrha